Monrovia – The loss of life of Senator Prince Yormie Johnson in November 2024 has left a political void in Nimba County that no single particular person has but been capable of fill. As soon as generally known as the uncontested political strongman of Liberia’s second-most populous and politically strategic county, Johnson’s absence has opened the door to a fierce wrestle for management, legitimacy, and affect.
By Selma Lomax [email protected] and Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
The aftermath is proving that the crown of Nimba can not merely be handed down or imposed — it have to be earned in a political panorama that has grow to be extra advanced, fractured, and unpredictable.
Nimba County, with a inhabitants of over 620,000 in keeping with the 2022 census, has lengthy held the excellence of being a vote-rich swing area able to tilting nationwide presidential outcomes.
From Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to George Weah and now Joseph Boakai, all post-war Liberian presidents have benefited from Nimba’s bloc votes. These votes had been usually engineered or influenced by one man — Johnson, identified broadly as PYJ, a former warlord turned senator who dominated Nimba’s political scene by a mixture of wartime legacy, regional loyalty, and strategic party-building beneath the Motion for Democracy and Reconstruction (MDR).
Johnson’s management was usually controversial, but it surely was by no means doubtful. He efficiently transitioned from insurgent chief to political kingmaker, presenting himself as a defender of Nimba’s pursuits, particularly within the aftermath of the Doe regime.
Till his loss of life final November, the late Senator Prince Y. Johnson—who had gallantly defended his kinsmen towards former President Samuel Kanyon Doe’s onslaught—was broadly credited and rewarded by residents of Nimba county, who overwhelmingly elected him in each election for the reason that finish of the civil battle. Now, the vacuum left behind seems to be resulting in an sudden energy wrestle between two political heavyweights searching for relevance within the shadow of an iconic determine whose army prowess stays unmatched, and whose legacy has created footwear too tough to fill.
The present standoff facilities round two towering political figures — Vice President Jeremiah Koung and Senator Samuel G. Kogar. Vice President Koung, lengthy seen as PYJ’s protégé and presumed successor, has emerged as a nationwide determine with vital ambitions.
His endorsement of Kogar throughout the 2025 senatorial by-election was seen by many as an illustration of his continued grip on Nimba’s political equipment. With Vice President Koung’s vigorous campaigning throughout the county’s 9 districts, Kogar clinched a Senate seat, and the narrative was considered one of consolidation. However inside months, that phantasm of unity started to unravel.
Senator Kogar has launched a sequence of sharp public criticisms towards Vice President Koung, accusing him of authoritarian management over MDR and claiming that the vp is working the occasion as a private property.
The flashpoint of their deteriorating relationship was Vice President Koung’s choice to handpick Kortor Kwagrue because the MDR candidate for the District 5 by-election, reportedly bypassing Senator Kogar’s enter and preferences. This transfer, Senator Kogar argued, not solely sidelined him but additionally disrespected occasion protocols and undermined the precept of inner democracy.
Senator Kogar’s language has grow to be more and more defiant. In a current media look, he questioned Vice President Koung’s position within the occasion, mentioning that the vp isn’t even a registered MDR member.
In keeping with Senator Kogar, the Vice President has been interfering in appointments, ignoring the legislative caucus, and undermining native illustration by favoring people aligned with the Mates of Jeremiah Koung motion (FOJ), a bunch he believes has taken over key county features.
What was as soon as an intra-party disagreement has advanced right into a full-blown political rupture, exposing the structural weaknesses of the MDR. Fashioned by Johnson to amplify his affect, MDR was by no means a sturdy democratic establishment. It was a personality-driven platform constructed round one man’s imaginative and prescient and charisma. With Johnson gone, MDR finds itself adrift—caught between two bold males vying to outline its future.
Vice President Koung, regardless of his nationwide place and his lengthy political journey from Consultant to Senator and now Vice President, seems to be struggling to keep up a consensus inside the county.
His calm and calculated demeanor is now being examined by rising unrest on the native degree, and his picture as a unifier is beneath menace. Senator Kogar, however, is leveraging his grassroots enchantment and legislative expertise to current himself because the voice of stability, inclusion, and regional equity. As a sitting senator not going through re-election till 2033, Senator Kogar is working with out instant electoral stress, making him an unpredictable and potent actor.
Public sentiment in Nimba seems equally divided. In cities and districts, group voices are rising with each concern and readability.
G. Aloysius Lincoln, a resident, argued that Senator Kogar is true in searching for area and referred to as on the vp to concentrate on his nationwide position as a substitute of micromanaging county affairs. He warned that continued dominance from Vice President Koung would fracture Nimba’s long-standing political unity.
Prince Tokpah of District 4 emphasised that there’s an inner combat, however on the coronary heart of it’s Senator Kogar’s want for dialogue. He harassed that each senators ought to be concerned in county selections, noting that Vice President Koung and his supporters are making unilateral strikes with out consulting the broader legislative caucus.
Fritz Dorwon additionally expressed dissatisfaction with the present association, stating that Nimba unity can not proceed with out the involvement of each senators. In keeping with him, the county’s management construction has been hijacked by the vp, marginalizing different lawmakers and leaders within the course of. Dorwon referred to as for chiefs and elders to step in and mediate earlier than issues spiral uncontrolled.
Kelvin Saye Flomo echoed related sentiments. He harassed the necessity for conventional authorities to intervene and act as mediators in what he described as a rising political disaster. Flomo famous that with PYJ not round to function a unifying drive, there have to be collective management to forestall fragmentation.
Odiephus Paye Boe identified that Senator Kogar is merely asking for political area, not selecting a combat. He acknowledged Vice President Koung’s closeness to the late PYJ however argued that the present method of centralizing energy is unsustainable.
In his view, Koung, as essentially the most senior authorities official from the county, has affect — however shouldn’t wield it unilaterally.
Famend human rights lawyer Cllr. Tiawan Gongloe, additionally a Nimba elder, informed FrontPage Africa he intends to have interaction each leaders to resolve their variations. “It is vital that each are on good phrases for the sake of the county,” he stated.
Nationwide and 2029 Implications
The fallout extends past Nimba. With hypothesis that Vice President Koung could both run alongside President Boakai in 2029 or search the presidency himself, a divided house base may jeopardize his nationwide ambitions.
“MDR’s inner battle may have far-reaching penalties,” stated Morrison Morris, Chief of Workers to Rep. Taa Wongbe (District #9), who spoke in his private capability. “If Senator Kogar takes a distinct stand in 2029, it can positively impression Koung’s presidential possibilities.”
Including gas to the hypothesis, rumors are circulating that Senator Kogar could also be contemplating an alliance with the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC). If he had been to affix forces with former President George Weah as a possible working mate, it may fracture Nimba’s voting bloc and realign nationwide politics.
For President Boakai, the MDR feud presents a fragile problem. His Unity Celebration-led coalition relied closely on Nimba’s assist, however divisions amongst Koung, Kogar, and different Nimba leaders may undermine legislative cooperation and weaken his governance technique.
A Celebration on the Crossroads
The dispute underscores a broader reality about Liberian politics: events constructed round personalities slightly than insurance policies are inherently unstable. The MDR should now determine whether or not it can evolve into a real political establishment or collapse beneath inner rivalries.
As Liberia edges towards the 2029 elections, all eyes stay on Nimba. As soon as dominated by a single voice, the county is now demanding shared management, accountability, and real session. The age of the political godfather could also be drawing to an in depth, and what occurs subsequent may reshape the trajectory of Liberia’s democracy for years to come back.
